The popular VJ from the 90s, Sophiya Haque, who rose to fame in India with the Channel V show Sophiya’s Choice, passed away in the wee hours of January 16. We hear that the actor-dancer had been battling cancer for a long time and was admitted to a hospital in London where she died in her sleep.

Sophiya had acted in films like Snip, Bombay Dreams and The Far Pavilions and also did BBC’s Fairy Tales series with Denise Van Outen. She was last seen in a British Bollywood musical called Wah Wah Girls in 2012.

Bollywood stars offered their condolences on Twitter.

Vishal Dadlani: I can’t believe Sophiya Haque is gone!! She was a dear friend, even jumped on stage with Pentagram a few times! This is so wrong!! RIP.

Pooja Bhatt: Tragic news about Sophiya Haque. One of the most gorgeous women to have walked this planet… Shine on where-ever it is you now are luv…